Mondays Aren’t All Business: “Adding Some Fizz to Your Monday Bizz”

Reported by: Ellaynah Brown

Photo courtesy: Anika Perry

Sophomores Sydney Simmons and Michael Martin founded a weekly tradition called Mocktail Monday: a weekly event where students can get a free mocktail. But what started as a small get-together in Martin's dorm room has now attracted more than 80 regular guests.

The attendance for this unique tradition has surprised the founders. "I didn't expect this to grow to more than 30 people, but I like the welcoming community it has created," said Martin.

Mocktail Mondays was kickstarted last January out of Martin’s dorm room in Edwards Hall. The two carried the tradition into its second year, now serving drinks out of the 3rd-floor lobby of Newlin. 

The crowd has grown significantly as "friends of friends" make it over to Newlin for a break from the hustle and bustle of Mondays. One guest said she "heard about it from a friend who lives on this floor" and was back for her second Monday, but this time with more friends.

Aidan Randall, a Mocktail Monday-goer from the start, said, "I've been coming here since it started across the hall. The drinks are great, but you also get to see many great people here." The room is filled with conversation and laughter as friends mingle and drinks are served every Monday. 

The weekly event has fostered an atmosphere of fun and relationship. Another regular, Mason Gregerson, said, "I have been here since day one, and it has built a great community." Not only do you get a free drink but "a great study break on a hard Monday," said Gregerson. 

Each week, Simmons and Martin craft new drinks inspired by recipes they have previously tried, alongside others they have researched in preparation for the night. "When planning our menu, we like to keep in mind what holidays are happening around Mocktail Monday," Martin said, as he served their fall-inspired caramel apple cider and chai peach pie.

For more pictures and information about Mocktail Mondays, check out their Instagram page @mocktail.monday.